First things first … you’re never going to believe this but I made a mistake last week.
When I wrote that some people in the community might “illicit deep sighs and eye rolls” I should have written elicit which, as everyone knows, means to evoke or draw out.
Of course I didn’t mean illicit, in the sense that the sighs and eye rolls were illegal (though maybe there are some lawmakers out there who wish negative public comments were unlawful).
I’d like to blame my error on something other than hasty writing and sloppy proofreading.
I’d like to attribute my silly mistake on the age in which we’re living.
U no whn ur living in the age of Twtr and txt msgs n ur sirrounded by miss pelling n abbrev it getz harder and harder to no difference btwn ur your youre or 2 evn care abt spell and context cuz no 1 cares n e more n e way, rite? LOL
But, all LOLing aside, even though I’d like to blame the lapse in clear writing on all of the above, ultimately I’m at fault for the display of dum-dumness.
Sorry about that.
And thanks, Jablonski, for bringing it to my attention.
On to more pressing matters.
It won’t be too long now before I embark on the sophomore year of my 40s.
I don’t think about age much (other than when my body and the young ladies at the beach remind me I’m not 20-something anymore). But lately I’ve been pondering the question “What is age-appropriate behavior?”
At the gym I attend, a man who I would guess graduated high school around the same time I did likes to swim laps in a Speedo.
If a man is not a professional or competitive athlete, should he be wearing Speedos? My contemporary obviously doesn’t give a hoot what anyone around him thinks. Does that mean I shouldn’t either?
Is 40-something too young to not care what’s socially acceptable?
I always thought that it wasn’t until one was in their late 80s or 90s that you could start sending society and its norms to hell.
And while I have no desire to squeeze myself into a Speedo, I do like the idea of being able to do what I want and not be labled a social pariah.
When does that happen? At what age do you finally earn the right to tell everyone, “To hell with you. I’m not hurting anyone. I’m doing what I want,” and not be penalized for it?
